Planning a Software Project

Planning is something that is necessary for every software development process.

Everything must be part of a plan with specific times, requirements, responsible, etc.

This huge plan that you make at the beginning of the project in general but necessary, every member team would make other software specific plan with his or her activities. This general plan even can change during the development, but always will be present from the beginning until the end ( when the full version of the software will have launched.)

First, we have to know what is the concept of Software Project Planning

No one does what they don’t know, so it is important to define the meaning and the content of the Software Project Plan.

A big part of this process consists of making a set of plans to help guide your team to know, execute, and close every phase and step during the Software Development Process.

This planning includes time, risks, costs, quality checks, changes, issues, external suppliers, equipment needed, communications, resources, procurement activities, and the whole information you need to manage the project and be sure of its correct evolution.

To be more specific, in the software project planning you need to keep in mind:

Risk Management: Record and manage the information about every possible risk in the development process of your software. But the most important is that you consider what will you do if one of them occur.

Change management, that is the description of how you and your team will manage and try every change during the software project.

Project categorization, which is a segmentation of qualities of the project and its phases.

Requirement management, that is the information of the necessities you have to reach to achieve the project successfully.

Communications that you would use to get in touch with the team members, with suppliers, clients, etc.

Project schedule or the planning of tasks and times.

The staff of development, or the development team that you will need and have.

Security approach to your project and all members that are involved.

This first step tends to be one of the most challenging in the software development because you need to keep in mind many details, without mentioning that you have to know how to estimate processes and features, and also how to inform the whole team.

Activities for Software Project Planning

This is a structure, a guide for every element that you need to include in this planning phase.

Here we explain you a brief of every step, but the most important thing is that we will bring you an example to complete every activity easy and effectively.

1. Create the plan of the project

A general point of view, because from here we will develop the project. It is a kind of skeleton.

2. Create a Resource Plan

A well defined and documented resource plan should have specific quantities of labor, equipment, materials, and resources needed to complete the software project.

9. Make contracts for suppliers

This is more of a requirement if you will plan to have products or services from external suppliers.

You can make a plan or just a model of the contract you would do. If you have a base, then you will be able to adapt it in every situation.

This contract is an agreement between you and the supplier.

Every contract has to be comprehensive, it should have critical terms well defined, as the conditions needed, and the identification of every part is involved.

Prepare well these documents and work to keep a better relationship with all of these ally companies during your software development project.

10. Plans the execution of review phases

Every phase or action that will be executed on your project must review it.

In that way, you will sure that everything is going well. The financial plan, resources needed, the equipment, responsible, and every previous phase.

Make reviews even of all contracts you make. This is the proper way to manage a software project and be sure of the good cohesion between the team, the resources, and everything necessary to achieve the final software.

From now on you will be able to structure your Software Project Plan. Make it and share your experience. We are exciting for you, and we desire you good luck. If you have a question, contact us, it will be a pleasure to develop together with your software.